A detective sergeant who harassed his ex-girlfriend by distributing fake leaflets advertising her as a prostitute has been jailed for 16 weeks.

Ian Mangham of Baldwins Hill, Loughton, began an “on–off” relationship with the mother-of-two after she reported her ex-husband to police.

After the 38-year-old business development manager dumped him, Mangham, 50, took revenge by placing the ads in pub toilets and phone boxes.

The victim received phone calls and knocks on her door at all hours of the night, Hammersmith Magistrates Court was told.

Jailing Mangham on Friday (May 13), district Judge Quentin Purdy said he had a “long and distinguished record” as a police officer for 26 years, but he had been “cruel and vindictive” to the woman.

Mangham had denied harassment between October 23, 2014, and April 1 last year.

The court was told he wrote a note delivered to the woman’s Chingford home which read: “Romanian whore.

“Dirty prostitute, get out of our street.”

She was also bombarded with junk mail, catalogues and brochures after Mangham completed hand-written coupons in her name for products and services.

One order was for jewellery engraved with the words “To My Best Lover” and “To My Beloved Friend”, and another was for adult films.

But the judge added: “Far more aggravating were these leaflets advertising for those seeking sexual services and giving her full name, phone number and address.

“She had people knocking on her door in the middle of the night and phoning her and she knew they were seeking sexual services.”

Mangham was ordered to pay the victim £3,000 compensation and £500 costs, and he was given an indefinite restraining order stopping him contacting her or her children.

Mr Alisdair Williamson, defending, said Mangham is now suicidal and was admitted to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

He agreed with a probation report describing him as a “broken man” and added: “He needs help and the clang of the prison door will not serve justice, but contribute to his ill health.

“Sometimes a man's life is a fragile edifice held together by the fragile bond of love and when that goes, everything goes and that happened to this man.

“It's pathetic and sad, but he'd return home to an empty house, lonely, and despite the support of the police service he could not admit to his colleagues the loneliness he felt.”

Mangham began drinking heavily and his doctor put him on medication.

Although he did not confess to writing the prostitute leaflets, he admitted being behind the avalanche of junk mail.

Before he was jailed, Mangham said in court: “I am very sorry.”

Mangham and the woman were together for over four years, meeting when the woman attended Hornsey Police Station when her troublesome ex-husband reported her missing.

Their first date was on December 9, 2009, and Mangham slept on her couch in the early days.

However, she agreed she ended the relationship, earlier telling the court: “I did not see the point in continuing this relationship.

“A few months after we broke up he was trying to persuade me to get back together with him.

“I tried to tell him that we were so different there was no point continuing.”

She moved out in July 2014, but Mangham turned up on the doorstep of her new home at 10.30pm three months later.

He then began the harassment campaign, starting with the junk mail.

One letter offered to look after her dog after her death, another came from an undertakers and one from a mobility company.

Calls from men seeking sex then began after her number and address were put in places such as a pub toilet in Chingford and a phone box opposite Highams Park train station.

She received “constant” text messages and people knocked on her door in the middle of the night.

“It made me feel scared and uncomfortable in my own home with my son.

“I feared for my safety,” the victim said.

Mangham told the court he was not behind the harassment, and denied there was anything inappropriate about starting a relationship with a woman who had gone to the police.

“We just got talking and I believe her son took a liking to me,” he said, denying there was ill-feeling after the split.

“I had moved on and wished her well.”

Mangham told the court he bought a home for himself and her to live together in.

He agreed sending her a text, which read: “I want to marry you in Venice and be a father to your son.”

When she moved out he loaned her £3,600 to cover a deposit and rent for her new home, plus another £500 to help her set up a massage business.

They continued to text and saw each other in local pubs, even kissing on one occasion, which Mangham took as an indication they were back together.

He said he only turned up at her new home on October 24, 2014, to collect the money owed and not to harass her.